NEW THIS WEEK – MONDAY 17 AUGUST 2009

Hello again and welcome to this week’s newsletter on Miliblog.

Looks like another quiet week with many away on holiday or even out and about in their military vehicles. There’s nothing better on a warm sunny day than a drive round with the top down and wind in your hair !

Last week we featured a superb SAS Pink Panther Landy from the Kington Show. Like many things in life, we often assume everyone knows the same as we do ourselves, but the thought occurred to me if you all knew why these SAS Landies were painted pink. Back in the 1970′s a crashed ex-RAF Mosquito aircraft was discovered in the desert in North Africa. Made with a wooden frame, the canvas over the years had been blown away revealing the wood which had been painted in a pink preservative paint, which used to be very common in woodworking. Although the plane could be seen from the ground, the shade of pink had weathered slightly to blend in with the desert sand and so couldn’t be seen from aircraft. Hence the SAS Landies patroling the desert were painted this shade of dirty pink. Also in the 1970′s, and showing my age, was a television cartoon character called ‘The Pink Panther’ and so the Landies adopted this name.

I’m sorry to say we’ve been a bit lazy this week and not added many photos at all ! However one we have added is one of my favourites as it was sent to me back in 1998 from Beverley Madege, who’s Bedford RL was the love of her life. I think whatever military vehicle we own, we all feel really passionate about it and have great fun with them, that is until they go wrong !

So have a great week and soon coming is the Severnside MVT branch’s show at Kemble over the weekend of August 29-31, which miliblog will be visiting.

Cheerio !

Simon

Bedford RL 3 Ton Home Office (SXF 288)(Courtesy of Beverley Madege)